Regrets
by Debbie Kluge
Summary: A short story that is NOT part of the Jealousy Universe. From many years in the future, Jessie Bannon looks back and contemplates her life choices.


Regrets

THE REAL ADVENTURES THAT ACTUALLY AREN'T ABOUT JONNY QUEST

** **

"Regrets" 

** **

**by**

** **

Debbie Kluge 

** **

Dedicated to NotLion 1

Who believes that the best Jonny Quest is often a dead one.

Jessie Bannon inserted her key into the front door of the main house at the Quest Compound and let herself in.It was late and the house was quiet. Her long gown rustled as she took off her evening coat and hung it in the closet.She kicked off her shoes and left them by the front door.Her feet hurt.

Leaving her evening bag and other miscellaneous items in the family room, she wandered into the kitchen and peered into the refrigerator.She supposed she should eat something.What with one thing and another, she couldn't remember eating all day.Not much there, though.After contemplating the empty refrigerator for a few moments she reached in and pulled out a bottle of white wine.Food was overrated anyway.

She wandered back into the family room and set the bottle and glass down on the table by the big reading chair.She pulled the cork on the bottle and filled the glass.Setting the bottle on the end table, she crossed the room and picked up the white box she had set down earlier.Opening it, she removed the sculpted, bronze plate and carried it across to the fireplace mantle.She set it in the stand she had waiting and returned to her chair.She sat there drinking her wine and contemplating the award._Not bad, Bannon, she thought__.Your third Nobel prize in eight years. She refilled her glass and contemplated all the certificates and awards spread across the wall that framed the fireplace.Well, she had wanted to be a world-renowned scientist.She had worked at it to the exclusion of everything else for a long time.She guessed she had made it.It was too bad her parents hadn't lived to see it._

She frowned.She definitely could have done without running into Francesca Quest at the awards ceremony, though.She still loathed the woman, even after all these years.All three kids were there, too.The boy looked so much like Jonny.He was about ten now. . . about the same age she and Jonny had been when they first met.How long had Jonny been dead now?Must be about four years.At that thought she snatched up her wine glass, drained it in one long swallow, and filled it again.And Benton?How long had he been dead?Ten years?Eleven?She couldn't remember any more.Twenty-five years changes a lot of things.Twenty-five years since she first came to live in this house.

She sat staring at the awards on the wall and drinking her wine for a long time, the silence surrounding her. All of them were gone now.Even Hadji.She shook her head, feeling a bit muzzy.And she was a world-renowned scientist.She had gotten everything she ever wanted, and achieved every goal she had ever set.She thought of young Jonny Quest, Jr. again, with his father's blonde hair and his mother's violet eyes and her eyes suddenly burned.

She picked up the bottle and drained the last of it into her glass.She held up the glass and saluted the wall full of awards.

"Here's to you, Bannon.And all you've accomplished in this life." She drained the glass and rose unsteadily to her feet.She turned off the light and staggered through the echoing silence of her empty house to her cold bed.

Tomorrow was another day and the next award was still out there to be earned.

**THE END**

© 1997, 2001Debbie Kluge

DISCLAIMER: The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest and all characters, logos, and likenesses therein, are trademarks of and copyrighted by Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc., and Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc., a Turner company. No copyright infringement is intended by their use in this story. All other material, copyright 1997, 2001 by Deborah A. Kluge.All rights reserved.Characters and stories are in no way affiliated with, approved of or endorsed by Hanna Barbera or Turner Productions. This is created by a fan for other fans out of love and respect for the show, and is strictly a non-profit endeavor.


End file.
